KOLLAM: The Vigilance Court here on Wednesday sent former Travancore Devaswom Board president A Padmakumar to the custody of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged misappropriation of gold-plated artefacts meant for Sabarimala. He will remain in SIT custody till 5 pm on Thursday.

The prosecution sought his custody, stating that crucial information still needed to be extracted from him. The SIT also informed the court that the investigation report would soon be submitted to the Kerala High Court and that questioning Padmakumar was essential at this stage.

However, the defence argued that custody was unnecessary as Padmakumar had been cooperating with the probe. The prosecution countered that he had ignored three notices to appear before the investigators. The court accepted the prosecution’s argument and granted custody.

Shortly after the order, BJP workers blocked the vehicle transporting Padmakumar for medical examination outside the court complex. Police removed the protestors, and the vehicle later left the premises.

Padmakumar has been lodged in judicial remand at the District Sub Jail in Thiruvananthapuram following his arrest last week after hours of questioning at the Crime Branch office in Enchakkal. The SIT has named him the eighth accused in the second case related to missing gold from the Sreekovil door frames.